Statements 2005 - International Labour Organization

International Labour Office
Office of the Director-General
Statements 2005
Address by Juan Somavia,
Director-General of the International Labour Office,
to the XIV Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour
(Mexico City, 27 September 2005)
Your Excellency, President Vicente Fox,
Minister Luiz Marinho,
Secretary Francisco Javier Salazar,
Secretary-General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza,
Ministers of Labour,
Representatives of COSATE and CEATAL,
Friends,
It is an honour to be here once again at the Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour –
an event organized, regularly and successfully, by the OAS [Organization of American States].
Mr. President, Mexico is, for so many of us, a symbol of solidarity and hospitality; a country
which has opened its arms to welcome us in difficult times. Thank you, Mexico.
Today, people and their work are not “at the heart of globalization”.
It is through decent work that people and families would like to benefit from the advantages of
globalization.
In survey after survey, in election after election, people present their governments with the same
demand: “We don’t want handouts, we want real opportunities to support ourselves.”
Yet we know that inequality of opportunity is a reality for many of our citizens.
Efforts made at national level have come up against a worldwide employment crisis that affects
almost all countries, whatever their level of development.
Today’s global economy fails to generate jobs of sufficient quantity or quality. Almost half of the
world’s labour force is made up of the working poor who have no social protection. The situation
is even more serious for young people and women.
The region is now reacting to this situation. There is greater social mobilization, and renewed
political will.
I have observed that an increasing number of governments, and employers’ and workers’
organizations define employment as one of the main political problems affecting our countries.
They seek solutions through a growing commitment to social dialogue.
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The future of our democracies depends on the success of such dialogue.
We are making progress. Let me highlight a couple of examples: we are to participate in a
meeting of the Council for Dialogue with the Productive Sectors, a key initiative to promote
dialogue here in Mexico; moreover, the joint declaration made by COSATE and CEATAL at this
Fourteenth Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour constitutes an invaluable
contribution from employers and workers.
Since the Bahía Conference, which endorsed the concept of decent work in the region, this vision
has received significant recognition at various international summits and forums. This energy,
which has emerged not only in Latin America, but also in Africa and Asia, inspired the outcome
adopted several weeks ago by the World Summit within the framework of the United Nations
General Assembly.
More than 150 presidents and prime ministers pledged to make full productive employment and
decent work, including fundamental principles and rights at work, a central objective of national
and international policy.
At the regional level, the presidents of the countries of the Central American Integration System
have approved a tripartite action plan to promote decent work.
For instance, Brazil has signed a framework agreement for the gradual implementation of decent
work; in Argentina, a national decent work plan is being developed; Chile has launched its
“Building Decent Work” campaign; and Mexico is working on decent work indicators.
Governments, workers and employers within the ILO have decided to promote national decent
work programmes in accordance with the priorities and special characteristics of each country.
Last month I had the honour and pleasure to sign a cooperation agreement with the Secretary-
General of the OAS, with a view to strengthening our cooperation in these areas.
Such political developments pave the way for a new era of shared regional commitments. Ahead
of us lies the Mar del Plata Fourth Summit of the Americas, which will be a historic opportunity.
Each of our countries has taken up the challenge and the results are starting to show: the
unemployment rate for the first half of 2005 fell from 10.9 per cent to 9.6 per cent.
The rate fell in seven of the nine countries that had provided information. Over the following
weeks, and with a view to the Summit of the Americas, we will publish a Labour Overview
containing up-to-date figures.
Of course, the task ahead remains huge. It involves increasing the capacity of labour ministers;
strengthening freedom of association and rights at work; promoting the creation of more and
better enterprises; reducing informality; extending and improving social protection coverage;
stepping up action against child labour; promoting skills training; and strengthening productivity
and competitiveness.
It will be difficult, but it is possible, with sound social dialogue practices and institutions, and the
convergence of economic and social policies favouring high levels of sustainable growth, and
intensive investment in productive jobs within a context of fair globalization. This means growth
with dignity at work. None of this is impossible.
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The documents you are going to approve are forward-looking and show a determination to
implement specific steps to bring about change. I congratulate you. You have the ILO’s full
support.
Finally, I would like to make a personal comment. I believe that to continue making sustainable
progress, we must put job creation above any ongoing political struggle, so that it becomes a state
policy, the expression of a shared national interest, in which all national, public and private
capacities converge. This is what the families of our continent deserve.
Thank you.
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